Chemical Fire Starter

Long Weekend · Guru

Chemical Fire Starter

GerryP · Veteran Member

The two chemicals were Glycerol (liquid glycerine in a bottle) and Condy's Crystals (Potassium Permanganate).

It works very well, but there are a few precautions...

1. Never carry the two components in the same container in case there's a spill.

2. While the glycerine is ok to handle and even swallow (mild laxative), the crystals are certainly not. Potassium permanganate is very caustic and something like 10 grams swallowed can kill you. Also not great to have any concentration on your skin and certainly not your eyes! However, a few grains in a litre of water is a good disinfectant. I suggest you google the stuff and just be aware of it's potency.

3. Don't drop even a small quantity of Condy's Crystals in an unsuspecting fountain as it will turn an amazing amount of water a bright purple! I wouldn't have done that when I was a kid would I...?

Long Weekend · Guru

Thanks GerryP,

The program host also gave the same warning of not carrying both together in the same container/bag/box.

For those that missed the program, about ten seconds after putting the two together with some grass/twigs it burst into a robust flame.

Beats anything else that I have seen - such as the magnesium bars that you run a knife blade along hoping that one of the sparks will start the grass smouldering then you have to blow on it to coax it into flame.

Murray

PeterD · Guru

GerryP wrote:
The two chemicals were Glycerol (liquid glycerine in a bottle) and Condy's Crystals (Potassium Permanganate).
It works very well, but there are a few precautions...

There is a good use here - Fire service

JeffRae · Guru

These looked pretty good to me, I thought a lot safer than the glycerine and potassium permananate

camp.wonderhowto.com/how-to/make-clean-burning-fire-starters-with-non-toxic-materials-389395/

-- Edited by JeffRae on Monday 21st of November 2016 08:44:32 PM

Hey Jim · Guru

Hi Murry,

I use 1-2 cap fulls of Kerosene + BBQ lighter on out kinder. I carry a 1lt bottle in a square chlorine bucket along with our porta pottie chemicals. lasts us a 10 week trip.

I By my kero from bunnings on sale @$10.00 for 4lts. Big Big savings. For what its worth.

Happy camping.

Jim

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Yep ., kerro or methylated spirits here .. Often soaked in rapt up paper or cardboard . Just adds extra heat to fire up larger pieces of wood .,

oldbloke · Guru

Aus-Kiwi wrote:
Yep ., kerro or methylated spirits here .. Often soaked in rapt up paper or cardboard . Just adds extra heat to fire up larger pieces of wood .,

If needed I use a splash of diesel, safe and works. Never use petrol to state then obvious.

Long Weekend · Guru

Hi Jeffrae, Hey Jim, Aus-Kiwi, Old Bloke.

Yes, I acknowledge all of the fire starters you mention. But they all require a match or lighter to set them going.

The glycerol/condys crystal mix started by spontaneous combustion* - no match or lighter needed. The TV show certainly showed that a decent fire started up requiring no blowing or careful tendering to build up the fire.

Anyway, I for one will pass on using them as I doubt that I will ever end up in the wilderness and have to start a fire with no matches and wet wood.

Murray

* Yes, I know that chemical reaction and spontaneous combustion are two different things. But that is a simple description of what happens.

Tony Bev · Guru

Perhaps I will keep those chemicals away from my motorhome

Son in law uses an old sock with wire wrapped around, stored in a tin of kerosene

He lights his fire with his fire lighter, then put his fire lighter out by smothering it with dirt

When he leaves the camp he takes his fire lighter with him, and stores it in his kerosene tin at home, for next time

I must be too lazy to light a fire, as I have never had one, while camping

Hey Jim · Guru

Hi Murry,

When all is left at home , including your two sticks to rub together and you need a fire, Try this one.

Remove your car battery from the car,

Put your jumper leads on and rub both ends on some steel wool. wam bam to steel wool turns into flames. biggrin biggrin biggrin

Where there's a will there's a way.

Jim

Long Weekend · Guru

Yep Hey Jim. I have heard of that one as well. I've seen it on TV and the steel wool does indeed go up in flames.

At least the steel wool will not catch on fire by itself and so is completely safe to carry.

There are a couple of good suggestions to start campfires, people can used whichever they think is best for them.

Murray

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Some can start them with Mobil phones ..

Long Weekend · Guru

Thinking about the steel wool/battery fire starter over night it occurred to me that one of those new 'jump starter' packs would do the same job as a battery. Would save having to take the battery out of the vehicle then replace it afterwards.

I'll wait for the first person to try that out. (I myself do not have one of the starter packs although I have thought of buying one).

Murray

Hewy54 · Senior Member

Seems to be a lot of discussion and a few novel ways to light a campfire. Has anyone tried a match onto a bit of newspaper with some kindling to get a little campfire going?

Hey Jim · Guru

Aus-Kiwi wrote:
Some can start them with Mobil phones ..

What's That.

Do you ask Siri to do that to. biggrin biggrin biggrin

Jim

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Hewy, you beat me to it - i was thinking a match burns y striking the phospherous on a surface ontaining something like emery.

Hewy54 · Senior Member

Aus-Kiwi wrote:
Some can start them with Mobil phones ..

Might try this. Are they the mobile phones you get from the service station?

Santa · Guru

Hewy54 wrote:
Seems to be a lot of discussion and a few novel ways to light a campfire. Has anyone tried a match onto a bit of newspaper with some kindling to get a little campfire going?

Waaaaaay too simple Hewy.

Had to smile at the mind set of "bugger, left the matches at home, not to worry all is not lost, I remembered my must have glycerine and Potassium permanganate.

rgren2 · Guru

Formaldehyde and potassium permanganate used to be used as a fumigant. As an Ambo my dad used it after carting contagious patients. As a joke they used to ask some one to get something from the Ambulance and sit back and laugh at the recipient as they reeled back coughing, choking, eyes and nose streaming.

Bruce and Bev · Guru

Jim - Thanks for the tip - youre not cooking my steak or fish on your bbq or fire - whew - kero smell...........etc

I'll just drink the cheap red, ta very much

Desert Dweller · Guru

Why not try chlorine & brake fluid that should get your fire started with a bang. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaYKCtbj4YM

-- Edited by Desert Dweller on Thursday 24th of November 2016 07:16:06 AM

jonathan · Member

Condy's Crystals (Potassium Permanganate) .. great stuff .. have been carrying it around with me for years .. not as a fire-starter, but with just a few crystals in warm/hot water is great for soaking the feet to get rid of minor ailments of the skin .. toes etc ..

But ..as a firestarter .. if unable to fire up a flame in a simple manner with only a lighter or matches, my choice is to coax it along with a hand-held gas burner ..

added: .. using a flint flicker to initiate the burner !

-- Edited by jonathan on Thursday 24th of November 2016 06:11:16 AM

oldbloke · Guru

Gas stove in the van. Most now have 12v ignition. Or always have a spare lighter in the glove box. And there is the 12v cigarette lighter in the car. No need to get complicated.

oldbloke · Guru

Gas stove in the van. Most now have 12v ignition. Or always have a spare lighter in the glove box. And there is the 12v cigarette lighter in the car. No need to get complicated.

OutbackMK · Senior Member

Great one dry your used teabags on rear bar then store in a jar of diesel or kerro, they make a great starter. If no kindling I use my butane torch. www.drifta.com.au/drifta-blow-torch/
Also available from Anaconda for same price but I like supporting a local person improving the lot of a local community.
Everyone who sees it reckons I'm cheating!
Brian

Hylife · Guru

Hey Jim wrote:
....
Remove your car battery from the car,
Put your jumper leads on and rub both ends on some steel wool. wam bam to steel wool turns into flames.
Where there's a will there's a way.
Jim

Used on many occasions.

No need to remove your battery, the rest of the cars electronics are not in the same circuit.
Just jumper leads and touch to steel wool placed under some dried grass, kindling, twigs, etc.
Best results if you use the pink SOAP infused kind. Soap is alkalised fat and burns a treat.

oldbloke · Guru

Or try this. Lol

youtu.be/vMcgs7Tx3Hs

sandsmere · Guru

A piece of pumice soaked in kerosene is a great firelighter.

A piece about the size of a golf ball will light dozens of fires.

When the fire is going just take the pumice out, let it cool down and plonk it back into the kero for next time.

Used tea bags soaked in kero work well too.

Craig1 · Guru

A new way to keep it going

www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-11/bomaderry-powdered-milk-factory-fire/102589096

Hard to put out powdered milk it seems, who would have thought